Laos is a country of silks and sights, but that does not make it comparable to most other Asian tourist spots. This destination has a reputation among travelers for departing from the usual “touristy” character of today’s popular locations, specifically by presenting an Asia that many argue to have already passed from other areas. To put it simply, it is said to be more laid-back, more culturally-appealing to those seeking a deep departure from “global culture”—to quote the country’s own tourism slogan, it is “simply beautiful”.

It is probably no surprise that simplicity and beauty would be assigned to Laos. Visitors can experience a lot of old-fashioned adventuring in this land. Laos has its modern and urban places, yes, but a great deal of it remains as it ever was: as green, as fertile, as beautifully ancient as any explorer’s dream. It would be little surprise for Indiana Jones to visit the country for his vacation, were he a real person.

The real-life Indiana Jones visiting Laos has a lot of things to look forward to. There are the stunning megalithic jars of Xieng Khouang, which look like enormous pots plunked down on the plain by some gigantic hand. There are the beautifully finished caves of Vieng Xai, where people used to live during the Vietnam War, and where they even had a hospital and a theater. For those wishing to touch the spiritual nature of the land there are the Pak Ou caves hosting hundreds of Buddha statues and sculptures. There is the golden height of Pha That Luang, the breathtaking width of the falls at Si Phan Don, the endangered Irawaddy Dolphin of the Mekong, the colonial quaintness of Luang Prabang, and even more.

Laos is a country for adventurers, especially those who wish they had been alive in the days when lands were still fresh and ripe with the age of their histories. Are you one of those? Well, then, Laos beckons you!

Known for the practice of Vipassana meditation, the Vipassana Temple and Park is where you should head to if you want to learn more about vipassana meditation. And because meditation in Laos is more of a cultural practice than a religious one, you’ll also be able to learn more about their culture through the temple.

The Vipassana Temple and Park in Luang Prabang is a temple where monks meditate in the vipassana style. There are two kinds of meditations in Luang Prabang: the samantha and the vipassana. The samantha meditation focuses on the development of equilibrium and of concentration, while the main emphasis in vipassana meditation is on the development of inner contemplation and of intelligent insight. [Read more…]

Built around 1560 by King Setthathirat, the Wat Xieng Thong or Temple of the Golden City is one of the oldest temples in Laos. And with numerous legendary sagas surrounding the temple, it is also considered one of the most historically important temples in the country.

It is situated in a landscaped garden near the Mekong River and the Nam Khan River confluence. It has dazzling mosaics and interesting Buddha images housed in a sweeping three-tiered roof and traditional Luang Prabang-style edifice. Its interior and exterior walls are swathed with shiny black coating with some characters, figures and symbols written all over a gold leaf. Its entrance is gold-plated and there are white pillars with lotus buds on the sides. [Read more…]

Situated on top of the Phou Si Mountain in Luang Prabang, the Wat Chom Si is visible from most parts of the city. A huge golden stupa looming several hundred meters high above the ground, it is also a famous landmark in the city.

To get to the temple, you have to climb all 328 paved steps of the Phou Si Mountain. At the summit, you’ll see the gold-plated temple. The center tower was flanked on all of its four sides with skeleton spirals winded to form into small towers. On top of the middle tower, a matching skeleton spiral tower rests on its tip. This gilded stupa is the most famous and the most photograph part of the temple. [Read more…]

Operating from a historic French mansion in Luang Prabang city, the Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre is a center for learning and preservation of the Lao traditional craft-making that is the heritage of the people of Laos.

Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre in Luang Prabang – Laos

Among other things, the center aims to support the livelihood of the people of Luang Prabang and promotes the ethnic minority groups in the city. Thus, if you have ever been curious and interested about the many underrepresented tribe groups in Luang Prabang, this is the place to learn more about them. [Read more…]

The weather in Luang Prabang is typically tropical, with two distinct seasons: the wet and the dry season. Situated on a plain region of the country, Luang Prabang is generally hotter than the rest of the country and it experiences less rain showers than other cities.

The average temperature is 25.9 degrees Celsius (79 °F). The average hottest temperature is 36 degrees Celsius (97 °F) in April and the average coolest temperature is 14 degrees Celsius (57 °F) in January. In addition, the monthly humidity fluctuates from 72% to 87%. [Read more…]

It’s common for tourists to worry about the condition, quality and available health care facilities when traveling to other countries, and it’s quite normal to worry about your health in Luang Prabang if you’re planning to visit the city. If you’re healthy, there’s no need to be anxious as basic facilities and competent doctors are available in the city. If you have an existing serious illness, a little information on what kind of medical care awaits you there is essential.

Unfortunately, the best hospital in town cannot even rival the mediocre hospitals in Europe or in US. The best hospital in Luang Prabang is the Chinese Hospital. Built and donated by Chinese to Laos in 2003, it is also known as the Lao-China Friendship Hospital and Luang Prabang Provincial Hospital. [Read more…]